The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for performing fracturing treatments in certain subterranean formations.
Wells in hydrocarbon-bearing subterranean formations may be stimulated to produce those hydrocarbons using hydraulic fracturing treatments. In hydraulic fracturing treatments, a viscous fluid (e.g., fracturing fluid or pad fluid) is pumped into a subterranean formation at a sufficiently high rate and/or pressure (e.g., above the fracture gradient of the formation) such that one or more fractures are created or enhanced in the formation. These fractures provide conductive channels through which fluids in the formation such as oil and gas may flow to a well bore for production. In order to maintain sufficient conductivity through the fracture, it is often desirable that the formation surfaces within the fracture or “fracture faces” be able to resist deformation and/or particulate migration to prevent the fracture from narrowing or fully closing. Typically, proppant particulates suspended in a portion of the fracturing fluid are also deposited in the fractures when the fracturing fluid is converted to a thin fluid to be returned to the surface. These proppant particulates serve to prevent the fractures from fully closing so that conductive channels are formed through which produced hydrocarbons can flow.
In some conventional fracturing treatments, large amounts of water or other fluids (e.g., an average of 1 million gallons per fracturing stage) are pumped at high rates and pressures in order provide sufficient energy downhole to form fractures in the formation of the desired geometries. To create fractures in certain types of formations (e.g., unconventional formations or low permeability formations) or to create complex fracture network in subterranean formations, operators may rely on the use of a low viscosity fluid (e.g., slickwater fluids) as the main fracturing fluid and small size proppant (e.g., 100-mesh) as the proppant. Large amounts of proppant and fluid are often used in these operations. Providing the large amounts of pumping power, water, proppants, and fluid additives (e.g., friction reducers) for these operations, and the disposal of water flowing back out of the formation after these treatments, are often costly and time-consuming, and make fracturing operations economically impractical in many circumstances.
The pumps and other equipment used in pumping large volumes of low viscosity fracturing fluids carrying large amounts of proppant at high injection rates may make certain portions of that equipment susceptible to damage in the form of erosion, corrosion, wear and tear, and fatigue. Ultimately, such damage can cause rupturing or blowout of fracturing fluid under high pressure as a result of cracking of certain portions of the surface equipment during a hydraulic fracturing treatment. Erosion may decrease efficiencies or otherwise require the pump to be shut down more frequently and repaired or replaced altogether.
While embodiments of this disclosure have been depicted, such embodiments do not imply a limitation on the disclosure, and no such limitation should be inferred. The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those skilled in the pertinent art and having the benefit of this disclosure. The depicted and described embodiments of this disclosure are examples only, and not exhaustive of the scope of the disclosure.